phelps



2 She&ts-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

T.-C.PHELPS.V

TENT.

No. 602,587. Patented Apr. 19, 1898.

m: Nonnls PETERS co. PHOTOJJTNKL; wxsmnmom a. c.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

T. C. PHELPS.

TENT.

No. 602,587. Patented pr.- 19, 1898.

i J1 I Z NI'IED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS COLEMAN PHELPS, OF NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

TENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 602,587, dated April 19, 1898.

Application filed April 6 1896.

To alt whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS COLEMAN,

My invention is an improvement in tents,

and has for its main object the provision of a roomy tent with a minimum amount of material.

Various A-shaped and pointed-top tents have heretofore been produced, but as has been experienced by all who have used such tents they must either be of undue height or else when low they afford insufficient head room and are otherwise cramped and inconvenient. Accordingly I have devised the hereinafter-described tent, in which there is sufficient space at the top for all desired head movement of the person or persons who may be in the tent, and the floor-space of the tent is a maximum for the extent of tent cloth or material employed in the manufacture of the tent.

In general terms my improved tent comprises slightly-flaring side walls of a general triangular shape, said side walls being separated from each other a considerable distance at their top edges, where they are connected by a rearwardly-sloping roof or rear wall of a rhomboidal shape, the shortest side thereof being at the top or ridge of the tent, said ridge extending across the tent at and above the entrance, which is preferably closed by overlapping fiaps. In connection with the latter I preferably employ an overhanging hood or flap, which makes a tight waterproof closure at the top of the entrance adjacent the ridge,- and I also employ in the preferred embodiment of my invention a fiy normally extending rearwardly, but capable of a variety of uses in connection with other features of the tent, all as will more fully hereinafter appear.

The details of construction of my invention and further advantages thereof will be more fully understood in the course of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, illustrative of a pre- Serial No. 586,367. (No model.)

1 ferred embodiment of my invention, and the latter will be more fully defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved tent, parts being turned back in order to show the construction thereof. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan View of the ridge and parts adjacent thereto supposed to be spread out flat. Fig. 3 is a side elevation. Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the tent as shown in Fig. l, the fly being omitted in Fig. 4; and Fig. 5 is a perspective detail of one of the rear corners of the tent.

The main part of the tent, as herein shown, comprises sides A A, which are substantially similar in shape, a roof or rear wall B, and front flaps C O for closing the front entrance of the tent, as shown in Fig. 1.

'The sides and, in fact, any and all of the various parts of the tent may be made up of as many pieces or Widths of material sewed or otherwise secured together as maybe found convenient, according to-size and other conditions of manufacture, the sides A A having a substantially straight vertical edge a and a rearwardly-sloping upper edge a, forming a more or less sharp angle a at the top of the tent and having an approximately vertical short rear edge a the tent being secured in usual or any preferred fashion, being herein shown as provided with loops 6, adapted to be fastened over'pins e.

The back B of the tent, as stated, is preferably in the form of a rhomb, having its shortest side I) at the ridge of the tent and and secured to the edges 5 of the side walls, a stiffening piece or strip b being secured thereto at the lowermost edge of the back B, in which are fastened in usual manner guyropes b adapted to be secured over posts If, as clearly shown in Fig. 3.

A back piece 17 extends downwardly from the back B, as shown in Fig. 5 and indicated in dotted lines, Fig. 1, said back piece being overlapped at a by the corner of the side piece in order to prevent the entrance of any drafts of air at the corner and provide a neat strong joint, one thickness of cloth supporting to a large degree the other.

The ridge of the tent will be more clearly understood by reference to Fig. 2, where it having its divergent edges 1) b coincident with will be seen that I secure an oblong strip of material D to the back B adjacent its short uppermost edge I) and forming therewith a pocket for the ridge-pole, said strip D being stitched or otherwise secured thereto through out most of its extent, but preferably being left unstitched adjacent one corner, as indicated at (Z, in order to receive a bar or ridgepole d, which serves to rigidly maintain the sides apart and keep the tent in its proper form.

Adjacent the ridge I form an aperture having a ring (Z therein in usual manner, through which a supporting-pole P is extended, as will be readily understood, viewing Figs. 1 to Of course, if preferred, the pole P may be inserted directly in the ridge-pole through an aperture formed therein in usual manner; but I prefer to make it as shown, in order that a simple straight bar (1 maybe used as a ridge-pole, in which case if it should be broken it may be readily replaced without any particular preparation, as would otherwise be necessary, my construction also giving greater strength and thereby permitting the use of asmaller and lighter ridge-pole d.

At the front edge I) of the roof or back piece of the tent I preferably secure a flap or hood piece E, adapted to extend down over the closing-flaps G O, as clearly shown in Fig. 1, thereby efiectually keeping out all rain and drafts of air and making a tight and neat joint.

The tent in its details, as far as described, is strong and self-bracing; but I prefer to employ guy-lines g, extending from the pole I, and brace-ropes g, connecting the latter with the ends of the ridge of the tent. Preferably also secured adjacent the ridge of the tent is a fly F, which may be extended, as shown in Fig. 3, and secured by ropes f to the stakes b or it may be carriedforward in a reverse slant, so as to provide an awning or protection for the front of the tent when the entrance thereto is open.

lVhen the tent is guyed and supported, as illustrated to best advantage in Fig. 1, it will be understood that the flaps may be turned back, and also either or both of the sides may be raised more or less or entirely thrown back over the top of the tent without materially disturbing the stability of the tent.

From the above description it will be evident that my improved tent possesses a great many features of practical advantage forouting purposes and other uses to which small tents are usually put, and I do not, therefore, deem it necessary herein to explain the capabilities of use more in detail than is done above.

A main advantage of my invention, and indeed one of the leading objects had in View, is the provision of a considerable space at the top of the tent, so that one or more persons may move around in the tent without any material inconvenience to their standing up straight and moving to a reasonable extent,

Another main object of my invention is the accomplishment of all the features of advantage above set forth without the usual waste of material which A-shaped tents and other pointed tents necessarily have.

My tent has not only all the advantages set forth and all the usual advantages of small tents, but it has increased floor-space and increased general interior space, with a decrease of tent material in its construction, this point being of prime importance in the manufacture of tents in quantity.

"While I have herein described my invention in all the details of its preferred embodiment, I wish it understood that I am not limited strictly thereto, but that many changes in form, arrangement, and details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A tent comprising substantially triangular sides,a roof or back of rhomboidal shape to which said sides are secured, said back having its shortest edge at the highest point of the tent, a pocket adjacent said edge, a ridgepole in said pocket, and means for supporting the tent, substantially as described.

2. A tent, comprising substantially triangular sides having their front edges approximately vertical, a back or roof of rhomboidal form secured to the rearwardly-sloping top edges of said sides, and having its shortest edge at the top of the tent adjacent the uppermost angle of said triangular sides, flaps for closing the entrance of the tent between said vertical edges, a short hood-piece extending from the top edge of the back and adapted to overhang and inclose the top ends of said flaps, and means for supporting the tent, sub stantially as described.

3. A tent, comprising substantially triangular sides having their front edges approximately vertical, a back or roof of rhomboidal form secured to the rearwardly-sloping top edges of said sides, and having its shortest edge at the top of the tent adjacent the uppermost angle of said triangular sides, flaps for closing the entrance of the tent between said vertical edges, a short hood-piece extendgular sides having their front edges approximately vertical, a back or roof of rhomboidal form secured to the rearwardly-sloping top edges of said sides and having its shortest edge at the top of the tent adjacent the uppermost angle of said triangular sides, flaps for closing the entrance of the tent between said vertical edges, said back terminating short of the ground edge of the tent, a back piece depending from the lower end of said back and extending to said sides, and the sides having a projecting corner-piece lapping over and adapted to be secured to said back piece, substantially asdescribed.

5. A tent comprising substantially triangular sides having their front edges approximately vertical, a back or root of rhomboidal .form secured to the rearwardly-slopiug top moved without interference with said pole, substantially as described.

6. A tent comprising substantially triangular sides having their front edges approximately vertical, a back or roof of rhomboidal form secured to the rearwardly-sloping top edges of said sides and having its shortest edge at the top of the tent adjacent the up: permost angle of said triangular sides, flaps for closing the entrance of the tent between said vertical edges, said back having a ridgebar removably contained in a pocket formed on said back and means to support the tent, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS COLEMAN PHELPS.

Witnesses:

WALTER L. HARGROVE, JOHN A. (DONKEY. 

